Last Chance to view ‘Art as Poetry’ at NAGN

“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.” – Leonardo da Vinci

With only a few days left to view the joint exhibition ‘Art as Poetry’ at the National Art Gallery of Namibia (NAGN), art lovers have a last opportunity to experience firsthand what Da Vinci’s quote conveys.

Presented in the NAGN’s upper gallery, ‘Art as Poetry’ brings together the works of André du Pisani and Helen Vale in a contemplative dialogue between visual art and literature.

The exhibition opened on 9 October 2025 and was accompanied by an artist talk on 10 October. Vale says ‘Art as Poetry’, which explores how colour, texture, rhythm and form can convey meaning beyond words, has been warmly received.

Through approximately 50 works in various media, ranging from painting and drawing to sculpture, pottery, collage and found objects which have been collected organically by Vale over 34 years, the exhibition showcases the powerful link between images and words.

“All art has form and content – a poem is crafted from words, music has notes and sound, dance has movement through the body, and paintings use brush strokes with composition, colour and rhythm and different materials – oil, water colour, acrylic, pen, ink, charcoal, found objects, collage, etc,” says Vale.

The collection is a living archive of artworks Vale has collected, been gifted and shared space with over almost three and a half decades, showcasing a body of work that is rich in intimacy – with a story, memory or emotion attached to each piece.

The exhibition title draws inspiration from Georgia O’Keeffe’s reflection: “I could say things with colour and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.”

This idea is central to the exhibition’s premise.

“Like poetry, visual art gives form to feeling; it crafts emotion into shape, rhythm and texture,” says Vale, a former English lecturer at the University of Namibia (Unam).

During her years teaching poetry and practical criticism at Unam, Vale encouraged students to consider what it means for something to be “poetic.” Their responses – ranging from photographs and feathers to stones, songs and everyday objects – revealed that poetry, at its core, is an expression of connection and meaning, regardless of medium.

In ‘Art as Poetry’, this is brought to life through prints, pottery, wooden animals, small sculptures, pottery and baskets that reflect Vale’s travels across Africa and beyond.

“The collection is not in pristine condition; it has lived with me over time and documents my life in Namibia over 34 years,” she says of the works from Namibia, Swaziland, Niger, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nicaragua and Papua New Guinea.

“There are traditional Tuareg silver crosses, Pacific wooden crocodiles inlaid with mother-of-pearl, a wild boar necklace from Papua New Guinea, and treasured gifts from friends.”

While art collecting is often associated with investment and value, ‘Art as Poetry’ is more about living alongside art – allowing it to age, to travel, to bear witness to life, says Vale.

“I would urge you that when you choose a painting or any artwork to live with you, do it for yourself and no-one else. It’s what makes YOU happy.” Do not miss the last chance to see how art, like poetry, speaks where words fall silent.

‘Art as Poetry’ closes on 5 February.

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